I started to suffer from tooth decay around the age of 13. Despite the precautions, the cavity progressed rapidly on several teeth at the same time. My family couldn't afford dental care. The most accessible option was to have the affected teeth extracted. But they were many of them; I couldn't have them all pulled. We prayed about it, but inside of me, I was wondering if we should bother God with that matter. I thought it was too trivial comparing to spiritual matters, life-threatening illness or global topics like war.
By the time I
joined the church of which I'm now a member, in 2008, many back teeth had
crumbled, leaving only decayed roots in the gums. The front teeth were also
affected, giving me a gap-toothed smile. When I ate, the food crumbs jumped out
through the gaps. Not to mention the times when the pain practically paralyzed
my entire affected side. The situation now called for surgical removal. I was
23, had just graduated and found a job in a guest house. But it wasn't enough
to afford dental care. I was desperate.
In my church,
new members were encouraged to join a prayer group. The leader of the group I
was led into was a smiling woman with a soft voice, Tata Ernestine, who
happened to be a dental surgeon!
She offered
me a free consultation. Considering the overall estimate and my financial
situation, I needed about two years of savings to reach that amount. She was
aware of it but offered to start the care immediately. That is how I started to
receive dental care for free.
And the
miracle didn't stop there.
Shiloh Guest House
At Shiloh
Guest House where I was working as a housekeeper, we had received a team of
missionaries. At the end of their stay, they wanted to express their gratitude
to the staff through gifts. My employers told them about my dental situation
and they offered to contribute a part. My employers also added their
contribution. And Tata Ernestine went above and beyond what she received to
give me all the care I needed.
I thought my
problem was too trivial for God; meanwhile He had prepared a way out.
“Indeed, the
very hairs of your head are all numbered” (Luke 12: 7).
If God cares
enough to count our hair, which is a trivial part of our body, no prayer request
is too small or too big to entrust to him.
